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LAS VEGAS — Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy said he is still trying to figure out how to handle the goalie situation, whether to play both or to hand the bulk of the work to one over the other.

And then which one over the other?

Logan Thompson and Adin Hill each have compelling cases to be in the net when Vegas begins its Stanley Cup title defense. There also are equally compelling reasons why each should step aside while the other takes over.

Cassidy has split the starts down the stretch, and Thompson has been the better goaltender of late, but Hill’s play in last year’s postseason was a major reason the Knights now have a championship banner hanging in T-Mobile Arena.

“I think [Thompson’s] mindset is good going into the playoffs,” Cassidy said. “He hasn’t played playoff hockey, so that’s another animal. So, to say, ‘OK, Logan, you’re going to be the guy,’ [but] he’s never played, is that fair to him, especially after what Hilly did last year?

“If we just give it to Hilly and say, ‘OK, have at it,’ well, Logan’s played pretty well recently and played more because he’s been healthier. So, is that the right way to go? You probably in some way, shape or form will see both guys. That’s not because of poor play, either. That just might be the best way to go for where they’re both at right now and how their seasons have gone.”

Cassidy added the opponent won’t factor much into which 27-year-old starts.

Thompson is used to fighting for everything he has accomplished in hockey, taking an unorthodox route to the NHL. In 2021, he became the first goalie from U Sports — Canada’s version of the NCAA — to play in the league since 1994.

Thompson made the All-Star Game in 2022-23, his official rookie season, but lower-body injuries forced him out of the lineup for most of the season’s second half. He entered this season as the backup, but with Hill’s health issues, Thompson has taken advantage to help lead the Knights to the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years.

Over his past 11 games, Thompson has a 2.14 goals-against average with a .926 save percentage. Take away two games in which he allowed a combined 10 goals, and his save percentage rises to .949.

“Last year, individually, was frustrating missing the second half of the year and not being able to put the jersey back on,” Thompson said. “So, I’m just happy to be in the room and put the jersey on every day and a be part of it.”

Cassidy said some of the credit has to go to the improved defensive play in front of Thompson as well as the fact the Knights are tied for third with fewest penalty minutes per game at 7.4. And, Cassidy said, Thompson is simply motivated to play in his first postseason.

“I think he’s under control better maybe than at the start of the year,” Cassidy said. “So that tells me probably his technique is solid.”

Hill was the player the Knights turned to last postseason when Laurent Brossoit was injured in Game 3 of the second-round series against Edmonton. Not only did Hill keep Vegas alive, he went 11-4 with a .932 save percentage and 2.17 goals allowed per game.

His stellar play carried over to this season when Hill went 10-2-2 with a 1.87 GAA and .935 save percentage before suffering a lower-body injury.

He had a similar four-game stretch in January and February, posting 4-0 record with a 1.75 GAA and .947 percentage, but Hill has fought injuries and inconsistent play since then. Going back to Feb. 12, he is 5-9 with a 3.76 GAA and .876 save percentage entering Thursday night’s regular-season finale against Anaheim.

“His numbers aren’t as good the last ‘X’ amount of games than they were at the start,” Cassidy said. “We can’t hide from that. But his game doesn’t look bad right now. Pucks are finding their way in, whether it’s through some holes or some bounces or whatever. So he just has to stick with it mentally and get through those challenges because we know what he’s capable of.”

Hill, who acknowledged his play could be better, said he could draw on the success of last season’s playoff experience.

Whether Hill gets another chance to repeat that postseason run or plays more of a secondary role will soon be determined.

“I’ve never really seen a team rotate goalies in the playoffs, so we’ll see,” Hill said. “I’ll just take it day by day.”

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Keselowski: NASCAR rulebook like IRS tax code

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Keselowski: NASCAR rulebook like IRS tax code

LEBANON, Tenn. — Brad Keselowski said RFK Racing has made some small changes and talked about the “complexities” and team burdens under the NASCAR rulebook after an appeal reduced a penalty given to driver Chris Buescher and his team at Kansas Speedway.

Keselowski compared the NASCAR rulebook a bit to the IRS tax code during practice and qualifying Saturday at Nashville Superspeedway for Sunday night’s Cracker Barrel 400.

“You read this paper and then you got to reference this paper to reference this paper to reference this paper, and when your head’s down and digging and you’re running 38 weeks a year, oversights are going to happen,” Keselowski said.

The co-owner of RFK Racing said that’s not an excuse. Keselowski said the team changed some roles and responsibilities this week to help the team be “better prepared and more mindful of what it takes to to be in compliance.”

NASCAR penalized Buescher and his team May 15 for illegal modifications to the bumper of his No. 17 Ford at Kansas. The team was docked 60 driver points, 60 owner points, five driver playoff points and five owner playoff points for the level one violation. It also fined the team $75,000 and suspended crew chief Scott Graves from the next two races: the All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600.

Those penalties came three days after Buescher finished eighth at Kansas and dropped him from 12th to 24th in the Cup Series point standings.

RFK Racing appealed and had a partial win Wednesday with the appeals panel ruling the team violated the rule on the front bumper cover but not the exhaust cover panel.

Buescher got back 30 points, moving him to 16th in the Cup Series points standing. That’s a slot below the playoff cutline and six points behind RFK Racing teammate Ryan Preece.

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Thousands attend race event honoring Gaudreaus

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Thousands attend race event honoring Gaudreaus

SEWELL, N.J. — A few days after brothers John and Matthew Gaudreau died when they were struck by a driver while riding bicycles on the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding, family friends were visiting parents Guy and Jane at their home during a rainstorm. Looking outside after the skies cleared, they saw a double rainbow that brought them some momentary peace.

Since then, Jane Gaudreau had not gotten any signs she attributed to her sons, so she sat in their room Friday and asked them for some divine intervention to clear out bad weather in time for an event to honor their legacies. After a brief scare of a tornado watch the night before, a rainbow appeared Saturday morning about an hour before the sun came out for the inaugural Gaudreau Family 5K Walk/Run and Family Day.

“I was so relieved,” Jane said. “I was like, ‘Well, there’s my sign.'”

Thousands attended the event at Washington Lake Park in southern New Jersey, a place John and Matthew went hundreds of times as kids and around the corner from Hollydell Ice Arena, where they started playing hockey. Roughly 1,100 people took part in a walk or run in person, along with more than 1,300 virtually in the U.S., Canada and around the world.

“I think it speaks to them as a family, how close they were and how everybody loved being around them,” said Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, one of a handful of NHL players who were close to the Gaudreaus and made a point to be there. “You just see the support from this community and from other players as well that are here and traveled in. It just says a lot about Johnny, Matty, their legacy and this family as a whole, how much support they have because they’re such amazing people.”

Along with honoring the NHL star known as “Johnny Hockey” and his younger brother who family and friends called Matty, the goal of the event was to raise money for an accessible playground at Archbishop Damiano School where Jane and her daughter Kristen work. It was a cause John and Matthew had begun to champion in honor of their grandmother Marie, who spent 44 years at the school and died in 2023.

It became their mother’s project after their deaths.

“Jane works every day with children with disabilities, and she knew how important it was for the playground to be built,” said family friend Deb Vasutoro, who came up with the idea for a 5K. “The playground has been a project for, I think, four or five years, and there just never was enough funding. When the boys passed and Jane needed a purpose, she thought, ‘Let’s build the playground.’ It was the perfect marriage of doing something good to honor the boys and seeing children laugh and smile.”

The Rev. Allain Caparas from Gloucester Catholic High School, which the brothers attended and played hockey for while growing up in Carneys Point, said raising funds for the playground is an extension of the impact they had on the community.

“They’re continuing to make a difference in the lives of so many others,” Caparas said. “Johnny and Matthew lived their lives with purpose, and now we’re celebrating that.”

Social media filled with mentions from folks in Columbus and Calgary, the NHL cities in which John Gaudreau played, and as far away as Ireland and Sweden. Paul O’Connor, who has been tight with the Gaudreau family from son Dalton being childhood best friends with Matthew, couldn’t empty out his inbox because he kept getting notifications about signups and donations.

“It just keeps growing,” O’Connor said. “And people that couldn’t be here, they’re doing a virtual [5K]. If they can’t do either, they’re just throwing money at the cause.”

Tears welled up in the eyes of Guy and Jane as they talked about the event. His speech to the crowd was brief and poignant at the same time.

“I’d like to thank everybody for coming,” Guy said after running the 5K. “It really means a lot to Jane and the girls and the family. We miss the boys, and it really means a lot for us to have you here to honor my boys. Thank you.”

The sea of people first in the rain and then the sunshine included folks in gear from all across hockey. Tkachuk wore a “Johnny Hockey” hoodie with Gaudreau’s name and No. 13 on the back.

He handed sticks, collected from various vigils in late August and early September, to race winners along with fellow players Erik Gudbranson, Zach Aston-Reese, Tony DeAngelo and Buddy Robinson.

“Our family wouldn’t have missed this,” Gudbranson said after flying in Friday night following a trip to Walt Disney World. “Hockey’s a very tight community. It’s still a tragedy. We miss the boys.”

The aim is to hold the event annually moving forward, potentially in Calgary and Columbus.

“We thought this was such a good thing to honor the boys we want to keep it up,” Jane said. “I just think each year it’ll just get better and better.”

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Panthers’ Lundell, Luostarinen clear for Final G1

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Panthers' Lundell, Luostarinen clear for Final G1

Florida Panthers forwards Eetu Luostarinen and Anton Lundell will be ready for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night in Edmonton, coach Paul Maurice said Saturday.

Both players were injured in Wednesday’s series-clinching Game 5 win against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Panthers forward A.J. Greer‘s status for the series opener against the Oilers remains uncertain. He missed Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals and was on the ice for only 4:22 in Game 5 due to a lower-body injury.

All three players did not participate in Saturday’s practice, the first team skate since the defending champions booked their spot in the Final rematch.

“I think the only question mark is Greer,” Maurice said. “We will list him as day to day. The other guys are fine. They will be back on the ice tomorrow when we do a little bit of an optional.”

Luostarinen, 26, recorded 24 points (9 goals, 15 assists) in 80 games during the regular season and 13 points (4 goals, 9 assists) in 17 games this postseason.

Lundell, 23, tallied 45 points (17 goals, 28 assists) in 79 games in the regular season and 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists) in 17 playoff games.

Greer, 28, posted 17 points (6 goals, 11 assists) in 81 games in the regular season and three points (2 goals, 1 assist) in 12 playoff contests.

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